Can opener



Dec. 22, 1953 w. J. FORTUNE ET AL 2,663,077

` CAN OPENER Filed May 21, 1952 56 l /Z f lin-2a i* v 2c fluvmlor william J. Qmm@ @harla "f c)fortune Patented Dec. 22, 1953 QFFICE CAN OPENER William J.

Fortune, Elkhart, and Charles T. Fortune, Grimes, Iowa.

Application May 21, 1952, serial No. 289,072

(o1. en -6.1)

3 claims.

Our invention is a novel mounted can opener for opening cans containing iiowable materials and for venting them simultaneously to provide for access of air to the interior of the can as the flowable material is removed from the can.

Some well known openers are provided with a hook arrangement that engages the bottom of the lipor rim of the can. The can rim becomes then a fulcrum that permits the cutter of the opener to be forced down through theA can top the top kis fractured a little, the balance of the cutting requires relatively little pressure. The sudden reduction in pressure requirements causes the operator to be thrown off balance and the can is frequently jerked while the person opening the can is regaining control of the situation.

This jerking usually causes some spilling which is not sufficient to be serious from the stand point of quantity lost, but it is undesirable. The cans are unpleasant to handle when the contents have spilled over onto the exteriors. contents of the cans is to be avoided when possible, obviously. f

'I'hese small unmounted openers are rather slow for use in large operations such as restaurants, hotels, or at large group picnics. Not only must the operator proceed with caution, but the open` ers lack a reference means to align them with the cans rapidly. Frequently, some little time is lost in trying to get the opener. At aninformal gathering such as a picnic, several openers may be provided and people permitted to opentheir own cans. This may not be desirable if some control over the quantities of cans used by any one person is intended. Also, of course, in more formal surroundings, consumers cannot be expected to open their own cans. Furthermore, during periods of rush business, a rapid means of opening cans is essential, since much of the food value of canned fruit and vegetable juices may be lost if the cans are opened in anticipation of rush periods. Still further time is lost in using the conventional beer can or like opener in that the device must be operated twice for each can opened if a smooth pouring action is to be obtained. The major opening in the can from Spilling of the 2 which the flowable material is poured is made with one cut. A second hole must be punched, however, to provide an air vent. Pouring can be accomplished without this vent, but the material in the can will flow in sudden bursts as distinguished from a steady now if no vent is provided. Usually two cuts are made to insure smooth pouring. It is also important that the air vent be placed a substantial distance from the pouring cut.

In View of the foregoing, therefore, it is the principal object of our invention to provide a can opener for opening cans containing owable materials that opens such cans rapidly and efiiciently.

It is a further object of our invention to provide a can opener that supports cans while they are being opened.

It is a further object of our invention to provide a can opener that cuts an air vent in the can at the same time the pouring cut is made.

It is a further object of our invention to provide a can opener for opening cans containing flowable materials that minimizes the danger of spilling the contents of the can being opened.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Our invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, and specifically pointed out in our claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of our can opener mounted on a surface,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation view of our can opener. Broken lines illustrate an adjusted position of the cutter lever. Dotted lines illustrate an ladjusted position of the can support and vent cutter. A can is shown in cross section to more clearly illustrate the operation of the device in opening a can,

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of our can opener f taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of our can opener taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3. Broken lines illustrate how the can support is released for lowering.

Referring to the drawings, we have used the numeral l0 to designate a supporting surface to which the can opener supporting brackets l2 and i4 are secured by any suitable means such as the screws i6. To these brackets is secured the opener frame HL The frame is rigidly secured to the brackets in our illustrated structure by any suitable means such as the rivets 20. The frame or body i3 supports the can table 22 which is merely a platform adjustable on the frame. Any suitable means for providing this adjustment may be used. Our illustrated structure is a very simple one that is considered excellent for that reason. An. opening 2d thatfts the conf figuration of frame le is provided. in the can table or support 22 and the rear portion of this opening has an element 2S secured thereto which spreads the pressure or load exerted on the back of the frame over a large are-a. At the lowerfront of the opening, a dog orv pawllike member 23 is formed which engages notches 30.' formed. in the frame when the table 22 is in a horizontal position. The table will be held inagivenposition as long as the dog engages the notches. As. soon as the outer end ofthe table is raised, however, asv shown in e, the table may be raised or lowered; Downwardpressure on the table, within the liniitsof its strength only seri/esto secure `it at its assumed position more eiiectively.

The top oi :trarne i i? is formed into thev opposed pierced ears (i2 and supports the aXle 34 on which is pivoted the cutter arm 36. A spring 38 yieldingly urges the arm :it upward. The arm 352 is provided with a stop member 40 which limits the downward movement of arm 3e so that cutter i2 will not over travel and punctureith'e side-of can i455 as shown by the broken linesv in'Fig. 2L The stop member 'it' prevents excessive downward movement of the lever .it by engaging the edges of the frame it at a point adjacent to the pierced ears 32. The cutter lever or bar 36 carries also the can. venting cutter or punch 4S. This cutter is adjustably mounted on the cutter lever by means of a sleeve 48 anda set thumb screw 50 secures the punch at the correcty position for venting the particular size off can being opened. The end of the lever may be provided with a suitable knob orV handle elements 52 to facilitate drawing the arm down. A can stop 54 limits both inward and upward movement of the can top as shown in Fig'.l 2;`

The use or operation ci oury opener isl veryY simple. The can is merely placed on the table or support and the support is adjusted upward until the can strikesv the stop member 54. Handie 52 is grasped and lever 3K5 forced downward to cause the cutter and punch to open and vent the can in a single swift motion. Assoon as the can is open, the handle is released and the handle is raised by spring 3E! to its upward position.L The can is then easily removed and a new can inserted. Each can is opened in a manner of secends and there is no danger of spilling; As the fulcrum for the opener is on the frame and does not bear on the can, there is no danger or upsetting the can or spilling the contents. Only one operation cuts and vents the can as: distinguished from two operations with the usual can opener used to open cans containing fiowable materials. It is much quicker and easier to align the can on our opener than to properly position the old type of beer can opener on a can rirn. The can stop 54 prevents the can from being moved bythe retraction o cutter bar and also holds the can from extending excessively far toward the opener frarne I8. From the foregoing, it should be clear that we have invented a novel can opener for cans containing iiowa-ble materials that accomplishes the objects of our invention.

Some changes may be made in theconstruction and arrangement of our can opener without departing fro-n1` the real spirit and purpose 0i our invention, and it is our intention to cover by our claims, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonl ably included Within their scope.

said frame and extending therefrom in a horizontal position and under a vertical projection oi? said lever, and acari stop secured to said frame and. extending' over said can supporting means near its effective edge; whereby said can stop engages-the rim.. and side of a can resting on said can .supporting means to hold said can near its top' against vertical move-ment and lateral movement in the direction of said traine; said can stop being positioned below the hinge point of lever and laterally between the hinge point offsaid lever and the said cutter secured to said lever.

21 In a can opener, afraine, a means secured to` said frame for mounting it on asupporting member in a vertical position, a lever hingedly secured'to said frame, a cutter rigidly secured to said lever, a plurality of spaced apart teeth on said frame, a can supporting table embracing said frame and' normally extending in a horizontal position therefrom, a dog onfsaid table near the` portion of said table that adjacent said teeth; said dog normally engagingr said teeth to hold. said' table at a given altitude relative to said frame, and a load spreading element secured' to said table near the portion of said table that embraces said france anden the opposite sideof said `frame troni dog and teeth; said load spreading elenrent extending substantially fartherv above theY top plane oisaid table than. below 'the vbottoni plane. of table.

3.'. Ina can; opener, av trarne, a means secured; tosaid trarne for mounting it on a supporting meinberina vertical position, a lever hingedly secured to. said traine, a stop means on said leverthat'engffigesv said frarne to li'ffit :movement of said lever in one direction, a rigidly secured to said lever, a punch secured to said lever ata point longitudinally spaced from said cutter, a can. stop securedV to said frame nearr the point of hinged attachment of said lever,- and. a can supporting ineens secured to said frame and eX- tending therefrom in a horizontal position and under a Vertical projection of said lever.

VVILLAM J. FGRTUNE. CHARLES 'I'. FORTUNE.

References Cited thev ille of vthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberV Name Date 1,577,957 Dalmas Mar. 23, 1926 2,059,367 Iittle Nov. 3, 1936 2,406,831 Hansen Sept. 3, 1946 2,500,266 Weller Mar. lli, 1950 2,535,333 Swyers Dec. 26, i950 2,540,541 Myers Feb. 6, 1951 2,556,731 Lapierre .lune l2', 195i FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 272,061. Italy Feb. 27, 1930 

